John Nathan Boone was first married to Nola Ada Sparks on March 7, 1913. Together he and Nola Ada had 6 children with Nola Ada dying giving birth to their sixth child. At age 34 John Nathan married Viola Conley McLucas. They married on November 17, 1923. Together, John Nathan and Viola had 9 children with Viola dying with their 9th child. John Nathan and Nola Sparks Boone married and had one child together, Ronnie Dean Boone.

John Nathan Boone had several occupations during his lifetime. He owned and operated several feldspar and mica mines in and around Mitchell County. He also was a superintendant in building roads and bridges in North Carolina. During his time working around feldspar and dust he contracted silicosis, a lung disease which eventually lead to his death at age 70. He was known by most family and friends as "Nate". Nate was a hard working family man. He didn't have much time for a formal education as he went to work in the fields and mines at an early age. He said on many occasions that he only went to school a half day for his older brother Ed at the little school house on Rebels Creek just above the Rebels Creek Baptist Church on a hill.

Nate died on March 12, 1960. There was a heavy snow on the ground which prevented many family and friends from being able to attend his funeral. The snow was so deep that the hearse was unable to travel up the long hill to Rebels Creek Cemetery. The pallbearers had to carry the casket and body up the hill for the burial service. It was said that the ground was frozen so hard that the grave diggers had to use dynamite to help in excavating the burial site.

DEATH IS A DOORWAY

On the wing of death
the soul takes flight
Into the land
where there is no night,
For those who believe
what the Savior said
Will rise in glory
though they be dead.
So death comes to us
just to open the door
To the kingdom of God
and life evermore.